Controlling your blood pressure can become a real virtue, unless
you are a frail older person. In that case, this is pretty harmful and
sometimes impossible. This was shown in a study that involved 2,000 seniors.
The results were published online in the Archives of Internal Medicine and they
actually surprised the world.
When it comes to high blood pressure, there is no place for
mistakes – hypertension is a real life threat. It affects the function of your
arteries, kidneys, and your body in general. This causes heart attack, heart
failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other dangerous health issues. This is the
reason why most doctors reach for aggressive therapies when it comes to
treating hypertension.
Same as other health conditions, a particular method cannot
be applied to everyone. There are different treatments for 50-year-old men and
80-year-old men, as the therapy of the first group does not correspond to the
individuals in the second.
How is hypertension diagnosed?
Healthcare providers require an exact picture of patient’s
blood pressure and note how things develop over time. The whole process starts
at the age of 20. The American Heart Association recommends young people to
screen their blood pressure at their regular healthcare visit, which is once in
every 2 years.
This applies to those whose blood pressure is lower than
120/80 mm Hg.
Blood pressure rises with your heartbeats and drops when the
heart relaxes between the beats. Blood pressure varies every minute according
to the posture, physical activity, stress, and sleep. Normal blood pressure for
adults at the age of 20 and over is less than 120/80 mm Hg, which is less than
120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. Unfortunately, one in three adults in
the US suffers from blood pressure!
When patient’s blood pressure is higher than the normal
values, doctors make more readings over time. In some cases the patient is
advised to monitor the blood pressure at home, before being diagnosed with high
blood pressure.
A single peak does mean you are dealing with high blood
pressure. But, if your blood pressure maintains values of 140/90 mm Hg or
higher, which is systolic 140 or more and diastolic 90 or more, your doctor
will require that you start off a treatment program.
These programs involves lifestyle and dietary changes, and
even prescription drugs for individuals with blood pressure that is higher than
140/90.
If your systolic value is 180 mm Hg or more and your
diastolic value is 110 mm Hg or more, rest for several minutes and monitor your
blood pressure again. If it is still that high, make sure you seek for medical
help immediately, or require an emergency treatment for your hypertensive
crisis. If you are unable to get help and reach for the emergency medical
services (EMS), ask someone to take you to the hospital.
If your blood pressure is normal, it does not mean that you
have to still. Introduce some lifestyle changes to protect your health and
prevent your blood pressure from going up. This will also help you improve your
overall health.
Source : healthandhealthyliving
